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Common Questions When Buying a Dash Cam Answered

Aug 08, 2018

You’ve probably heard of dash cam devices that sit quietly against your windshield, always recording to keep you safe on the road. Dash cams have been popular in Europe and Asia for many years, and they’ve gained a lot of traction in the United States in recent years.

It’s no wonder, either. Dash cams offer peace of mind to millions of drivers worldwide. Accident fraud, crash for cash schemes, and everyday incidents are a constant threat in America.

This article aims to help clarify common questions that come up when trying to wrap your head around dash cams.

Why do I really need a dash cam?

If you’ve never been in an accident where both you and the other driver deny responsibility, consider yourself lucky.

A dash cam’s primary purpose is to consistently observe and record your surroundings while driving. It can be the difference between a complicated and costly insurance claim and a clear resolution to prove you weren’t at fault.

Aside from the most obvious reasons why you’d really need a dash cam, there is a certain peace of mind in knowing you’ll have video evidence no matter what happens on the unpredictable roads.

Many dash cams can also protect your vehicle from vandalism and theft, so you can be rest assured even when you aren’t with your vehicle. The ultimate benefit your dash cam can provide is 24/7 protection for your car.

What are the best dash cam brands?

If you’ve searched major marketplace websites, the number of dash cam manufacturers can be daunting. What are the trusted brands? How do you know if you’re getting something unreliable that will break in a few months? At BlackboxMyCar, our mission is to curate only the most reputable manufacturers for our catalog, so you can trust what you see in our store.

What are the most important dash cam features?

There is a wide price range for dash cams. Any camera from a reputable manufacturer will be a solid choice for years to come, but you might be missing out on useful features. Some people want all the bells and whistles in their dash cam, like the BlackVue DR900S-2CH, while others are perfectly happy with a reliable but simple entry-level option, like the VIOFO A119.

Check out some of the key features below to decide whether or not you’d consider them “must haves” in the dash cam you end up buying:

Parking Mode – Parking Mode allows the dash cam to record even when the vehicle is turned off and when you’re away from it. By hardwiring to the vehicle’s fuse box, the dash cam is able to draw power from the vehicle’s battery to function at all times (don’t worry – there is voltage cutoff management, so the vehicle’s battery doesn’t die). For even better parking-mode recording, check out our dash cam battery packs.

G-sensor - Dash cams that include a G-sensor can trigger a special event recording when they detect a sharp impact on the vehicle, such as a collision. These clips are saved in a special folder so that they can be preserved. Should you get in an accident, you won’t have to worry if your camera captured the event.

Wi-Fi - Dash cams with Wi-Fi functionality are incredibly handy and allow you to connect your phone to the device. This allows you to easily save video to and review footage on your phone instead of the dash cam itself.

GPS - This feature tracks both the speed and location of the vehicle at all times. This provides more data in the event of an accident.

Here are some other key terms to keep in mind while shopping:

What is the best dash cam for me?

Now that you’re getting an idea of what to look for in a dash cam, and which features stand out as important, it’s time to select your dash cam. Luckily, we have a large catalog of trusted dash cams to choose from. It’s just a matter of finding the perfect one for you.

If you’re looking for a simple, all-around solution for your dash cam needs, we highly recommend the BlackSys CH-200. It’s our favorite dash cam overall, with a discreet dual channel design and easy to use Wi-Fi app to make your life easier.

If you want to look a little deeper, you can save some time by diving into one of these handy categories below.

Where should I buy a dash cam?

You can buy a dash cam at almost any online retailer that offers electronics as well as many automobile specialty online retailers. However, BlackboxMyCar prides itself on offering the best specialized dash cam purchasing experience in America.

So, why should you buy from BlackboxMyCar? Not only do we guarantee price matching across web, retail, and print offers from any other store, we also offer warranty support for our products long after manufacturer warranties are over. Our expertise on dash cams and customer service are superior to anyone else!

We also don’t outsource our customer support. That means if you have any questions or concerns, you can rest assured that you’ll be talking to a real BlackboxMyCar employee who’s excited to help you solve your problem.